Curtis Loew Band

In 1999, Dennis White had the idea of playing Lynyrd Skynyrd music in a band that would be a tribute to the original band, back before the crash of 1977. The sound that he listened to from "live" albums, such as "One More From The Road" The original long version of "Free Bird" and the difference in sound from the live band to the studio versions. A complete Live, Lynyrd Skynyrd show was what he was looking for.

In 2000, after trying out many guitar players and singers for the "Curtis Loew Band", he came upon a group of talented musicians from New Orleans that could play most anything, and started to put together the live act with every little nuance from the live versions so that the show you were watching as a fan, would be exactly the sound of the original Skynyrd. In October of 2000, Dennis asked Michael Kirk to go sign a contract for the first gig at Steel Pony Express, Gulfport,MS., and the band was off and running. Michael later formed MadMozart Productions as the management and booking agency of the Curtis Loew Band, and to make a living, he had over 40 bands on his roster.

After the Steel Pony Express, the band payed in a few clubs along the coast, building up it's name and reputation for those people that really loved Skynyrd. In 2001, the band opened for Zebra's Randy Jackson at WaveFest I, and from then on to MongoFest in New Orleans, then others started falling into place. Finding that bikers make the best place to play, and biker rallies were famous for putting on great shows and parties, Curtis Loew Band found itself playing biker shows all around the South, including the Asgard's Memorial Day Bash in Gulfport, MS., Gulf Coast Thunder, and the Mississippi River Run in Tunica, MS. It was at Gulf Coast Thunder when the band met Jimmie Van Zant, first cousin of the famous Van Zant brothers, and Ronnie, who at the time, the band had left the singer position open as " no one could fill Ronnie's shoes".

Jimmie Van Zant had driven over 200 miles to hear the band, and after listening to a few songs, he asked if he could sing a couple of songs with the band. After 5 songs, Jimmie was in love with the sound of the band and had stated that 'if you close your eyes and listen to this band, you hear the original rawness of the band back with Ronnie, back when they were first starting......" This was music to the ears of the band because they worked so hard to get the music right. They wanted it known that they could be called up to the big band and not miss a lick, kind of like a minor league band.

Ed King had been in e-mail contact with the band and a package was sent to him. He listened and stated that he had "heard a lot of Skynyrd tributes out there, but you all are the closest to the sound". He even sent some pointers on one of the songs that he had written "Sweet Home Alabama" and immediately the song was even better. He went so far as to say that if we ever came to Nashville, he would like to sit in with the band. Now the family liked the sound of the band, and one of the ex-members liked the sound of the band. It looked like the band was doing it's tribute right.

One day in 2002 a call came in from another group wanting to book the band and the question, "how did you hear of us" came up. The answer? "We called Skynyrd because we wanted them for our 20th anniversary show, and they were way out of our price range so they recommended you all". Now, the band was being booked off of the Lynyrd Skynyrd management's faith in The Curtis Loew Band to produce a quality show using the music of Skynyrd itself. This took the band to Ohio, it's first time out of the south, to a great show in New Lexington, Ohio.

Following the show, Jimmie Van Zant hired the band to back him up in Alexandria, Louisiana, and the band was on it's way. to being one of the best Skynyrd tributes in America and the band got rights permission from Lynyrd Skynyrd management to record 13 songs and video one other, "Sweet Home Alabama".

In 2005, the band was having some internal problems and Dennis White left the band, the band stayed together and started to play out as Down South Jukin'. Then Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast and everyone split to far reaches of the country. John Weismann to Ohio, Dennis White to Pennsylvania, others just departed until the housing situation and economy got better. Then in 2007, still keeping track of each other, and with a little prodding from guitarist Charlie McGinn, everyone decided to join forces again, and reform the original band using the original name. The Curtis Loew Band was reformed and the last thing to do was get MadMozart Productions to come out of retirement to re-managed and book the band.So a few calls were made trying to persuade Michael Kirk back into business, and with that accomplished, the band reformed on October 20, 2007, 30 years after the plane crash claimed 3 of the original band members.

The band is back together and booking for future shows. Having